by Tony McKenna
Reynold’s ‘cuzin’ jumped behind the wheel of the old truck and whistled for the kids who came running and clambered on the back. He waved his hand and drove off down the trail, soon lost from sight.
‘This me uncle Warrinidding,’ Reynold said proudly. ‘These bloke the mates I tell yu ’bout, uncle. This one Jack, and this one ’e Harry. Yu can tell which is which ’cause Harry ’e got them freckles, eh?’ he stood aside smiling as the two boys stepped nervously forward.
The man before them was tall. He wore only denim trousers and a battered felt hat with a wide brim, curled at the edges in a western style. He was barefoot; his skin the colour of ebony, and the boys noticed tribal scars on his muscled chest and arms. There was grey stubble on his cheeks and his eyes were dark and intelligent. He smiled broadly and shook each boy’s hand in greeting. His voice was deep but strangely quiet when he spoke.
‘Rennol, ’e bin tell me all ’bout yu fellas. Rennol say yu good mates. Travel wit’ ’im all the way from Kalgoorlie.’
‘Nice to meet you, Mr Nidding.’ Harry said.
The tall man slapped his thigh and burst out laughing. Reynold hooted with him. They continued to laugh and the boys joined in with no idea what the joke was about.
‘No …’ the man laughed again before explaining. ‘ Warrinidding jus’ one name not two name. Ev’ry one call me jus’ plain Warri though.’
Harry was embarrassed, his face turning bright red. ‘Er … sorry, Mr Warri,’ he stammered, again triggering more gales of laughter from the two Aboriginals.
Jack was concerned for Harry but glad that he hadn’t spoken first because he would have probably said the same thing. ‘Well, what do we call you then? Harry didn’t mean no harm?’ He defended his friend and looked at Reynold for support.
The old man stopped laughing and was suddenly serious, his laughter replaced with a warm smile as he held his hand out again to Harry who took it hesitatingly. ‘No one ever call me Mister Nidding before, it jus’ soun’ funny.’ The boys could see he was fighting to stop from laughing again.
‘Yu good fellas, Rennol tell me so. Yu frens of ’is so yu frens of mine. Rennol ’e tell me yu laik brothers to ’im so yu call me uncle Warri jus’ laik ’e do, eh?’
‘Thanks, uncle Warri.’ Harry began to relax with Warri’s friendly explanation.
Jack also calmed down and both boys, seeing the funny side of the recent exchange, started to laugh. Uncle Warri and Reynold joined with them and the tension lifted.
That night lounging around the campfire with the stars a brilliant mass of light above them and the bush hushed in silence, uncle Warri sat back on his haunches, and lit a cigarette dangling from his lips with a glowing stick from the coals.
‘How long have you been a drover, uncle Warri?’ Harry asked.
Warri thought for a while, eyes squinted due to the smoke circling his face. ‘Long time now.’
‘How long, uncle Warri?’ Jack joined the conversation.
‘Bin drovin’ since I was a little fella, boy drover. Bin drovin’ all over, bin drovin’ for Sidney Kidman.’ He paused, thoughts drifting back to times long ago. ‘Took big mob of cattle for Mista Kidman up there to Quinsland, you know, way up to Normanton. Long way up.’ All three boys now sat listening intently, fascinated by the unfolding story.
‘We pick ’nother mob up down in Mt. Isa ’n come back wit’ ’em all way down to Peterborough in Sout’ Straylia. Sidney Kidman ’e say to me once ‘Warrinidding, yu best boy drover ever.’ I laik that Sidney Kidman, ’e good fella … never forget me.’ Warri flicked the butt into the coals.
‘Go on, uncle Warri,’ Jack urged.
‘I do lotta trips for Kidman. Other fellas too but Mista Kidman ’e laik me special. When I drovin’ I wear boots … not no boot laik this.’ He held up one bare foot. ‘I wear boot that Sidney Kidman give me. He get ’em special for Warri. Special so they fit good, not pinch feet laik other boot I wear.’
Jack and Harry were mesmerised by Warri’s accounts of droving and sat wide-eyed encouraging him to continue.
‘I bin work for Boss Drover, Matt Savage in me time too. Very ’ard man that Matt Savage but ’e good drover. Also work wit’ Paraway once … long time back.’
‘What’s Paraway, uncle Warri?’ Jack asked.
‘Not what, Jack … who.’ Warri smiled and explained. ‘ Paraway a bloke. ’Is name Matt too but not Savage, ’is name Matt Buchanan.’ He chuckled to himself remembering back. ‘Funny fella but ’e top drover that one. Paraway ’e carry big green umbrella all time, shade ’im from the sun. We all laugh at that, eh? Not so ’e could ’ear though.’ He gazed silently into the fire for a few seconds lost in thought.
‘Warri getting’ ol’ now, Rennol maybe take over from uncle Warri one day. Rennol ’e good drover, I learn ’im ev’ry ting ’e know ’bout drovin.’
‘We’d like to learn drovin’ too, uncle Warri,’ Jack stated.
‘Take long time to learn ’im good but yu could ’elp out little bit I s’pose. Yu ride a horse, Jack? Yu too, Harry?
Both boys shook their heads realising that this admission could probably exclude them from the trip with uncle Warri and Reynold over to Docker River to meet up with a big mob of cattle on the way down from Katherine in the Territory. Reynold had told them earlier that that was the plan and that they could come too if uncle Warri agreed.
Uncle Warri was silent for a time, stirring the fire with a stick. He looked over at Reynold who said nothing then turned back to face Jack and Harry. ‘Yu can’t go drovin’ if yu can’t ride no horse. Yu gotta ride good to be a drover, eh, Rennol?’
‘Yeah, uncle, ride horse, crack a whip, round up strays, yu gotta be very good rider.’
‘Never seen no drover that couldn’t ride good. Jus’ don’ happen.’ Warri said with finality.
The two boys were crestfallen. It seemed that all their plans had come to a sudden halt just when they thought they were on their way. They had come so far and now it was all over just because they couldn’t ride a horse. They would now have to hitch a ride back to Laverton or somewhere and start all over.
‘I think I might turn in then.’ Jack stood up to walk from the fire, disappointment obvious in his tone.
‘Me too, Jack.’ Harry stood with him. ‘G’night, uncle Warri, ’night, Reynold.’
‘G’night, boys,’ uncle Warri called as they walked from the firelight. ‘Better yu get good sleep, boys, up early tomorra. Yu can’t drove if yu can’t ride so we better learn yu to ride, eh?’ They didn’t see Warri and Reynold grin at each other over the campfire.
Chapter Fifteen
Jack woke early with the sun an orange glow on the horizon and a deceptive chill in the dawn but he knew the day would be hot. He was not first up as Reynold was already at the fire, flames devouring the twigs he had thrown on the coals, blue smoke hanging listlessly in the morning air. Leaving Harry cocooned in his swag Jack crossed the clearing to speak with Reynold.
‘Yu up at last, Jack, day ’e almos’ gone,’ Reynold chuckled without glancing behind him and Jack wondered how he knew it was him and not Harry, but refrained from asking.
‘Yeah! OK for you, Reynold, this is your life, mate; we’ve to get used to it. Where’s uncle Warri?’
‘Bin long gone, Jack, gone to bring ol’ Brehardie back. Brehardie ’is best ’orse once but ’e old now. Uncle Warri was gonna spell ’im this trip but ’e reckon ’e be good ’orse for yu or Harry to learn to ride on.’ Reynold threw a handful of tealeaves into the bubbling billycan and moved it to the edge of the coals to brew.
‘I really thought we were goners last night when he said we couldn’t drove if we couldn’t ride.’
‘That jus’ uncle Warri’s way of jokin’.’ Uncle Warri ’e wouldn’ta let yu come inta camp first time if ’e ’adn’t decided yu could stay. We ’ave long talk ’bout yu ’n Harry. Warri ’e little bit wary of white fellas. White bloke drovers out on the track OK mos’ly but some don’ laik us much. Wa
rri ’e never ’ad much to do wit’ town folk ’n yu bein’ from the city it even worse. I tell ’im ’ow yu treat me ’n Nigel laik we brothers, sittin’ inna rain ’n all ’n ’ow yu buy me a choclat bar ’n Warri ’e say, ‘Good ’nuff, Rennol, yu say so, they OK.’ Warri ’e was wonderin’ though why yu’d even wanna to be wit’ us blackfella as not many would, yu know, but I tell ’im you’se runnin’ from them policemans ’n ’e understan’ that. I tell ’im I don’ think yu done nuttin’ bad so uncle Warri ’e say, ‘if yu believe ’im, Rennol, I believe ’im too.’ Uncle Warri ’e trust Rennol.’
‘How did you know about us runnin’ from the police, Reynold? We didn’t say anythin’ to you about it.’ Jack was baffled.
‘Dunno … jus’ guess I s’pose.’ He was silent for minute and then closed the subject. ‘Yu wanna cuppa, Jack?’
Warri returned about mid-morning, riding one of his horses bareback and leading two others, one on each side. Reynold walked out to meet him and took the two ponies he was leading. Warri slipped from the horse and led it over to where Jack was standing near the fire, a mug of tea in his hand.
‘I bring me ol’ ’orse Brehadie for yu to learn on, Jack. Brehardie ’e bin top ’orse once but ’e bit tired now, teeth not so good. Brehardie ’e ’appy to be ’ere though I can tell.’ He reached up and fondled the horse’s ears. ‘Brehardie treat yu good, Jack, yu treat ’im good too, eh? We start learnin’ yu in a little while. Where’s Harry? I brought ’nother quiet ’orse for ’im to ride.’
‘I’m here, Uncle Warri, just puttin’ me boots on.’
‘This one she called Dolly. She know drovin’ too and she quiet laik a baby, eh? She learn yu to ride good, Harry.’
Jack was nervous and it showed. The horse sensed it and snorted, pawing the ground when Jack took the reins as Warri had shown him.
‘Yu jus’ settle down now, ol’ fella.’ Warri leant close and whispered in the horse’s ear in his native tongue and Brehardie settled immediately. ‘Yu learn these boys to ride good, Brehardie. Come on, Jack, yu cock ’im one leg by yu knee laik I show yu, keep ’im stiff now.’
Jack put his left foot in the stirrup and bent his right leg. Warri took his upheld foot and lifted him quickly into the saddle, placing his right boot into the other stirrup. Jack felt insecure so far up from the ground in an unfamiliar situation so he clung firmly to the reins and also had a grip on a piece of the horse’s mane. Glancing quickly sideways he saw that Harry was also seated on the grey mare Dolly with Reynold standing beside him.
‘Now, yu jus’ sit easy, I’m gonna walk ’im, ol’ Brehardie.’ Warri clicked his tongue softly and the horse moved off with Jack clinging for dear life to the saddle pommel and the tuft of mane. ‘Let go ’is mane, Jack, ’e not laik that much eh?’ Warri advised.
After a few minutes Jack, realising he was not going to fall headlong to the hard ground, relaxed slightly, beginning to feel the horse’s rhythm beneath him. Warri, holding lightly to the bridle, talked to the horse softly as he walked beside its head, reaching out to pat the horse’s neck now and then. ‘Yu good ’orse, Brehardie, yu learn Jack good. Jack, ’e good fella, Brehardie.’
Jack was sweating heavily but knew it wasn’t only from the heat as Warri walked the horse. Warri also spoke to Jack giving him little tips on balance and controlling the animal. They had walked up the track some distance and returned to the yards three or four times and Jack was beginning to enjoy the experience. ‘Yu take ’im on ’is own now, Jack.’ Warri stepped back.
‘But … but.’ Jack began to panic. ‘I don’t think I’m ready to do that just yet, Uncle Warri. What if he takes off on me?’
Warri chuckled. ‘Jack, yu bin ridin’ ’im you’self last two times ’round. I jus’ pretend to lead ’im. Brehardie won’ take off on yu, Jack, unless yu kick ’im. Make sure yu don’ kick ’im. When yu get to end of the track jus’ pull little bit on the rein which way yu want to turn, left or right ’n Brehardie ’e know what to do.’
Warri watched Jack take the horse out, turn him easily and walk back, a huge smile on his face, to where he was waiting. ‘Yu got it, Jack, no trouble. Yu do that three, four time more ’n we stop for some tucker. Give Brehardie a spell, let ’im have a drink. I show yu ’ow to get ’is saddle off ’n then me ’n Brehardie teach yu little bit more in the afternoon when it cooler.’
Harry returned at the same time having walked Dolly in the opposite direction to Jack. He was smiling broadly too, and called ‘Yahoo,’ to Jack as he reigned to a stop and slid awkwardly from the saddle. The two boys then led their mounts into the yard where Reynold and Warri instructed them on removing the saddles that they then slung over the top rail of the yard.
‘That was great, Jack, wasn’t it?’ Harry was thrilled at the ride. ‘Beats ridin’ a bloody bike. Billy can keep his bike.’
‘You bet, Harry. I was a little scared to start with but it’s beaut all right. Trouble is I only feel about three feet tall after gettin’ off Brehardie.’
‘Me too,’ laughed Harry. ‘It’s a funny feelin’ all right.’
When they had eaten they all took some time to lie down in the shade until the extreme heat of the fiery sun had subsided. Jack and Harry stretched out on their swags but Warri and Reynold just lay down on the ground with their backs against a tree trunk, hats over their faces to ward of the flies, arms folded across their chests, and dozed.
The late afternoon was spent on the horses. Both boys became more confident as the day wore on and by the time Warri said it was enough for the day they had learned to canter leisurely up and down the track. They did slow to a walk to turn around though, not yet confident enough to do it at a canter. ‘That’ll come tomorra’ wit’ practice,’ Reynold said.
Around the campfire that night uncle Warri sat back with his usual rolled cigarette and contemplated the coals. The two boys were exhilarated but weary, legs aching from gripping the saddle. When they closed their eyes they could still feel the rhythm of the horses beneath them.
‘Did we do OK, Uncle Warri?’ Jack asked.
‘Yu do really good, Jack, I very good teacher yu know, learn yu to be drover in no time.’ He turned to Harry. ‘Yu do good too, Harry, Rennol ’e good teacher laik me. I learn him ev’ry ting ’e knows. Yu bot’ quick learners, yu boys. After coupla’ more days we ready to ’ead off to Docker River. Yu learn more on the ride too ’cause it take a few days to get there ’n by the time we meet the big mob, yu ready to ’elp out well wit’ the drovin, by crikey.’
The next two days were spent on the horses and by the afternoon of the second day Jack and Harry were becoming quite confident and had learned to canter and even galloped for a few hundred yards. They could mount and dismount easily and learned to put the bridles on and saddle up without help but still couldn’t get the hang of moving up and down in time with the horses’ gait when they trotted. Warri and Reynold showed them how to rub the horses down with a bag at the end of the day and to feed them. They carried buckets from the waterhole in the rocks to fill the cut down oil drums in the yard so the horses had a drink.
On the morning of the third day Warri told them to saddle up and ride with Reynold into town to stock up on some supplies for the trip from the general store. ‘Yu know what to get, Reynold ’n cuzin Wally ’e drive it back eh? Then we pack it right for the ’orses to carry. We’ll leave at sun up tomorra’ all goin’ well.’
Jack and Harry felt important riding beside Reynold as they came into Warburton and slid from the saddles near the general store, tying the horses to a hitching rail in the shade of a couple of gum trees close by. They selected items from the shelves and put them in a pile near the door where the manager noted each of the items and wrote them in a large tattered book, licking the pencil regularly as he did so.
There was canned meat, beans and peaches, tins of golden syrup, condensed milk, bags of flour, salt, sugar, packets of matches, some ‘Havelock’ tobacco and cigarette papers for Warri and, of course, a box of tea.
‘How much is all this gonna cost, Reynold?’ Harry asked. ‘You got enough money? We can put in a little for our share.’
‘We have to, yes.’ Jack reached into his shirt pocket.
‘No need for that.’ Reynold put his hand out to stop Jack. ‘Uncle Warri ’e put all this on tick, pay when ’e come back.’
‘But we have to pay our share, Reynold,’ Jack insisted. ‘It’s not fair otherwise and we’d feel bad eatin’ your tucker and not payin’ for it.’
‘That all right Jack. Uncle Warri ’e tell me yu boys can ’elp out on the drove and travel wit us but yu don’ get no wage jus’ your keep. That way yu don’ owe nothin’ … yu earn it.’
Both boys were astonished at this generosity and knew from what Reynold said that they were obviously accepted by uncle Warri as part of the crew so determined in their minds to be as good as they could be at helping out on the trek.
‘Looks like we’re real drovers now, Jack.’
‘Can’t believe it, Harry. We’ve come a long way since leavin’ home haven’t we? Seems like months ago.’
The mention of home sobered the boys somewhat and they wondered if their parents had received the letters they wrote and what their reaction had been to the news that they had no plans to return to Perth.
‘What would our parents say if they could see us now, Harry?’
‘Not sure, Jack. Don’t think they’d be too happy even though they’d be proud that we can now ride.’
Even though the boys had no idea when cousin Wally had been alerted or by whom, the old Ford rattled to a dusty stop outside the store just as they finished checking that they had everything they needed. They loaded the goods onto the tray and mounting up, followed the vehicle on horseback down the track toward uncle Warri’s camp, wondering what adventures the next few weeks held in store for them.
